Wizard Island facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wizard Island |
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 6,933 ft (2,113 m) |
| Prominence | 755 ft (230 m) (varies with water level) |
| Geography | |
| Location | Klamath County, Oregon, U.S. |
| Parent range | Cascades |
| Topo map | USGS Crater Lake West |
| Geology | |
| Mountain type | Cinder cone |
| Volcanic arc | Cascade Volcanic Arc |
| Last eruption | About 4600 BC |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Trail with boat access |
Wizard Island is a special island found in Crater Lake in Crater Lake National Park, Oregon. It's actually a cinder cone, which is a type of small volcano. The island rises about 755 feet (230 meters) above the lake's surface.
At the very top of Wizard Island, there's a bowl-shaped hole called a volcanic crater. This crater is about 500 feet (152 meters) wide and 100 feet (30 meters) deep. In 1885, a man named William Gladstone Steel gave the crater the fun name "Witches Cauldron." He also named the island "Wizard Island" at the same time. The island covers an area of about 316 acres.
How Did Wizard Island Form?
Wizard Island was formed after a huge volcano called Mount Mazama erupted a very long time ago, about 7,700 years ago. This eruption was so powerful that it caused the top of the mountain to collapse, creating a giant hole called a caldera. This caldera is now filled with water and is what we know as Crater Lake.
After this massive eruption, smaller eruptions happened over hundreds of years. These smaller eruptions created several cinder cones on the lake floor. Wizard Island is the tallest of these cones. It's the only one that rises above the water. Wizard Island stands over 2,700 feet (823 meters) above the deepest part of the lake.
Another large cinder cone, called Merriam Cone, is also in the lake. However, Merriam Cone stays completely underwater. Its top is about 505 feet (154 meters) below the lake's surface. Scientists believe Merriam Cone formed underwater because it doesn't have a crater like Wizard Island.
Visiting Wizard Island
You can visit Wizard Island during the summer months. This is when boat tours are available on Crater Lake. The boats leave from Cleetwood Cove, which is on the north side of the lake. They travel around the lake and stop at a dock on the south side of Wizard Island.
If you take an early boat trip, you might be able to get off and explore the island. But be ready to spend the whole day there! Sometimes, later boats are too full to pick up more passengers. If you take a late afternoon boat trip, you won't be allowed to get off the boat. No one is allowed to camp overnight on the island. A final boat comes at the end of the day to pick up any remaining visitors.
There are two hiking trails on Wizard Island. One trail goes up the side of the cone and circles the crater at the top. The other trail leads from the dock towards the western end of the island.
